I am glad to be the first post on your forum on the 2007 site. Hopefully the new registration requirement will clean up some of the previous garbage on your forum.

If you recall, I just went from an F-Type 158 to an F-Type 148. The biggest sail I currently use is a 2006 Retro 9.5.

Do you think this board does okay with an 11.0? The Starboard published sail range I believe goes up to 10.0 or 10.5, and I have always found the sail ranges optmistic, subrtracting at least .5 m2 from each end, so I am worried an 11.0 will not suit this board well (maybe I need an Apollo!).

Hi MA Pete,
Yes, I&#39;m glad we have a little better software running to keep some of the spam off the forums.
If you have a gutsy low end 9.5, and unless you are quite heavy (say more than 190 lbs.) I&#39;m not sure if you will gain much with an 11.0 m over your 9.5 Retro.
I don&#39;t think you will be losing much in terms of early planing since you&#39;ve sailed the FT-158 so you understand how to get it going early.
Maybe 1/2 knot difference.
The 11.0 m2 might get you that 1/2 knot difference (FT 158 vs 148) back, but you would be adding alot of weight to the rig for very little gain and would definitely have to rig down sooner.
I&#39;d try your 9.5 m2 Retro, with an adjustable outhaul and I think you will have the better setup.
Hope this helps.

I am 70 kg/150 pounds. If only about half a knot gain, I&#39;ll stick with the 9.5 and save myself from wrestling with the 11.0 rig.

And yes of course I have an adjustable outhaul, wouldn&#39;t dream of sailing a 9.5 without one.

Maybe for ultimate light wind planing I will need one of the 2007 Apollo boards! When will you get your hands on one of those so you can tell us how they are versus the F-Types? The marketing claims is two knots earlier (I assume versus SB Formula board).

Pete, I&#39;m a very happy FT148 owner. I use a 9.8 on it and can&#39;t imagine needing more sail on this board. I weigh in at ~140 pounds. I put a 70cm fin on the board when I want to maximize my low end. And I put a 66cm fin on when I see there is plenty of wind. I still want to try a smaller fin with this sail for when there is steady winds. I usually am planing with this setup when my friends are out on older formula gear with 10.6 - 12.5 sails. We end up being pretty even with speed and upwind ability.

Hi Pete,
I will have the new boards for &#39;07 right after the Surf Expo Trade Show in
Orlando on September 15-17th.
Not sure what they are bringing, but I hope there is an Apollo in the mix.
If I do get an Apollo, I should know by the middle of the week after the Trade Show what the board is all about.
I think for those of us who sail in shallow or weedy areas, I&#39;ll have to check with the fin guys I&#39;m working with on a big modern weed fin that will
work as closely to a 75 cm rake 0 deg. Debo/Drake as I can get them to develop.
The board might be wonderful for deep/clean water sailing but for Hatteras or the coastal areas of Florida and Texas, it simply isn&#39;t going to work.
Hope this helps,

Thanks for that feedback on the F-Type 148. I am close to your weight, just over 150. I am planning on getting a 64 cm or so fin for the 9.5. I have a 70, glad to know that works for you, I will try it with my 9.5 next time it is really marginal.

What prompted me to think about it was I got seriously "outplaned" the other day by a guy on a Formula board and an 11.0. In fairness to me and to the F-Type, I was on my 8.5 from earlier in the day when it was windier, was too lazy to re-rig, and I had the stock 56 cm fin on too. And this guy was also a Formula racer I believe.

Roger:

Thanks. We look forward to your reports on the new boards. I am thinking of the Phantom for a second recerational board (first one is a 2006 Viper 80, replaced 2005 Start M) for the family, it would be interesting to hear from you on that as well, after the Surf Expo.